Trifolium plant named ‘TRIFPOT001’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Trifolium  plant named ‘TRIFPOT001’, characterized by its compact, upright to outwardly spreading and creeping plant habit; freely branching habit, dense and bushy appearance; dark brown to almost black-colored leaves with green-colored margins; numerous white-colored flowers blushed with pink arranged in dense capitula that are held above and beyond the foliar plane; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Trifolium repens.

Cultivar denomination: ‘TRIFPOT001’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Trifolium plant, botanically known as Trifolium repens, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘TRIFPOT001’.

The new Trifolium plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Malling, Denmark. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact and freely branching Trifolium plants with attractive foliage and inflorescences.

The new Trifolium plant originated from a cross-pollination in July, 2013 in Malling, Denmark of Trifolium repens ‘Ebony’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Trifolium repens identified as code designation 09-001-001, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Trifolium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Malling, Denmark in March, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Trifolium plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Malling, Denmark since June, 2014 has shown that the unique features of this new Trifolium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Trifolium have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘TRIFPOT001’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘TRIFPOT001’ as a new and distinct Trifolium plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright to outwardly spreading and creeping plant         habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit, dense and bushy appearance.     -   3. Dark brown to almost black-colored leaves with green-colored         margins.     -   4. Numerous white-colored flowers blushed with pink arranged in         dense capitula that are held above and beyond the foliar plane.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Trifolium can be compared to plants of the female parent, ‘Ebony’. Plants of the new Trifolium differ primarily from plants of ‘Ebony’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Trifolium are more freely branching than         plants of ‘Ebony’.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Trifolium are darker brown in         color than leaves of plants of ‘Ebony’.     -   3. Plants of the new Trifolium and ‘Ebony’ differ in flower         color as plants of ‘Ebony’ have pure white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Trifolium can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Trifolium differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Trifolium are more compact than and not as         vigorous as plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Trifolium are more freely branching than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Trifolium have shorter leaf petioles than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   4. Plants of the new Trifolium and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have pure white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Trifolium can be compared to plants of the Trifolium repens ‘Isabella’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Malling, Denmark, plants of the new Trifolium differed from plants of ‘Isabella’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Trifolium and ‘Isabella’ differed in leaf         color as plants of ‘Isabella’ have red-colored leaves with         green-colored centers.     -   2. Plants of the new Trifolium and ‘Isabella’ differed in flower         color as plants of ‘Isabella’ have pure white-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Trifolium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Trifolium plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘TRIFPOT001’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of the upper surface of a typical leaf of ‘TRIFPOT001’.

The photograph on the third sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘TRIFPOT001’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the winter and early spring in 10.5-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Malling, Denmark and under cultural practices typical of commercial Trifolium production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 18° C. Plants were 15 weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Trifolium repens ‘TRIFPOT001’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Trifolium repens ‘Ebony’, not             patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Trifolium             repens identified as code number 09-001-001, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About eight days             at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and             winter.—About three weeks at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fleshy; typically             white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of             roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Container plant; compact, upright to             outwardly spreading and creeping plant habit; moderately             vigorous to vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit typically with about             40 lateral branches developing per plant; dense and bushy             appearance.         -   Plant height.—About 14.8 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 36.8 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 12.8 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2.2 cm.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong to strong.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Luster.—Moderately glossy.         -   Color.—Close to 143B and 146A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Leaves alternate and compound with three             leaflets.         -   Leaf length.—About 3.4 cm.         -   Leaf width.—About 4.1 cm.         -   Leaflet length.—About 2.2 cm.         -   Leaflet width.—About 1.7 cm.         -   Leaf shape.—Orbicular in outline.         -   Leaflet shape.—Ovate.         -   Leaflet apex.—Broadly acute to obtuse.         -   Leaflet base.—Obtuse.         -   Leaflet margin.—Finely serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Luster, upper surface.—Matte.         -   Luster, lower surface.—Slightly glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 200A to             200B; margins, close to 138B. Developing leaves, lower             surface: Close to 200A; margins, close to 138B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to between 200A and             203B; margins, close to 138B; venation, close to 138A to             138B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 200A;             margins, close to 138B; venation, close to 146A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 13.6 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 143A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Small papilionaceous             flowers arranged in dense capitula that are held above and             beyond the foliar plane; continuous and freely flowering             habit with about 55 flowers developing per capitulum and             about 4,400 flowers developing per plant; flowers face             mostly outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant, sweet and pleasant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower in the garden from             the spring until the autumn.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers maintain good substance for about             one week on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 2.1 cm.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 2.6 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4 mm by 5 mm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 8 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Shape: Oblanceolate. Color: Calyx, close to 145C and 138A;             developing petals, close to NN155D tinged with close to 75D.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Five petals in a single whorl; one             banner or vexillum petal, two wing or lateral petals and two             lower petals fused to form a sheath or keel enclosing the             reproductive organs; petals fused toward the base. Length,             banner petal: About 9 mm. Length, lateral petals: About             7 mm. Length, lower petals: About 6 mm. Width, banner petal:             About 4 mm. Width, lateral petals: About 1.5 mm. Width,             lower petals: About 0.5 mm. Shape, banner petal: Obovate.             Shape, lateral petals: Elliptical. Shape, lower petals:             Ovate. Apex, banner and lower petals: Shallowly retuse.             Apex, lateral petals: Acute. Base, all petals: Fused.             Margin, all petals: Entire. Texture, all petals, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Luster, all petals, upper             and lower surface: Matte. Color, banner petal: When opening,             upper surface: Close to NN155D tinged with close to 75C.             When opening, lower surface: Close to NN155D; towards the             base, tinged with close to 145D. Fully opened, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to NN155D slightly tinged with close             to 75D; color does not change with development. Color,             lateral petals: When opening, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to NN155C. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to NN155C. Color, lower petals: When opening, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 150D. Fully opened, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 150D.         -   Sepals.—Appearance: Five sepals fused into a             campanulate-shaped calyx. Length: About 5 mm. Width: About             0.75 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Narrowly acute. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Luster, upper and lower surfaces: Matte. Color: When             opening, upper and lower surfaces: Fused portion, close to             145C; free portion, close to 138A. Fully opened, upper and             lower surfaces: Fused portion, close to 145C; free portion,             close to 138A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 14.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 40° from lateral             branch. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 143B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 80° from             vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 145A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: About eight             per flower. Filament length: About 5 mm. Filament color:             Close to 157D; towards the base, close to 155C. Anther             shape: Flattened orbicular; basifixed. Anther length: About             0.02 mm. Anther color: Close to 11A. Amount of pollen:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 11C. Gynoecium: Pistil             length: About 3 mm. Style length: About 2.75 cm. Style             texture: Smooth, glabrous. Style color: Close to 145D.             Stigma appearance: Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to 144A.             Ovary color: Close to 144B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Trifolium. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Trifolium have been observed     to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and high     temperatures about 40° C.; plants of the new Trifolium are     winter-hardy and are hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 4. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Trifolium have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Trifolium plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Trifolium plant named ‘TRIFPOT001’ as illustrated and described. 